Ballast cleaning apparatus



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Jam. 21, W36. w. SJRUGG ET AL BALLAST CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 16, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet lm a W m 0 T7 .0 WW Rm Wa/fer S. 7-? H/exa der Pa Wm,

Jan. 21, 1936,

BALLAST CLEANING APPARATUS Filed 001;. 16. 1931 WITNESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WM 39 l 3 I INVENTORS.

Walker 5. Fug and fi/exander Pa mrosg Jan. 21, 1936. w s RUGG ET AL 2,028,688

BALLAST CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 16, 195-1 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 '5 iii i ll INVENTORS.

" I Walferi Fug and filexander Pa mms.

Jan, 23, 31936.

\ W l i 75 WITNESS W. S. RUGG ET AL BALLAST CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 16, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 YIIMHIHW 5 l 73 K a; iil'iiniiillimi m .1 iiliiiiiiii g INVENTORS. Wei/fer S. Fugg and fi/exander Pa /mr0.s.

ATTQRN Jam, 21, I936.

. BALLAST CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 16, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 WITNESS w. 5., RUGG mL 2,@28,688

INVENTORS.

' v l/i/a/fer 5. F079 and may I v filejxgYndr Pa mros.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Walter S. Rugg, Pittsburgh, and Alexander Palmros, Zelicnople, Pa.

Appiication October 16, 1931, Serial No. 569,276

26' Claims.

Our invention relates to apparatus for cleaning ballast, and the like material, and it has'special reference to a portable tool adapted to properly clean ballast while in place, that is, without removing it from between the railroad ties.

Railroads have found that the ballast between the rails of eachv track, as well as between tracks, has to be cleaned ever so often, for various reasons. The heavy accumulation of cinders, coal dust, etc., settles in the voids of the crushed stone ballast, or other road material, thereby preventing water from draining through and cementing the ballast under the ties, which destroys alignment and impairs good riding qualities. Furthermore, this accumulation tends to shortcircuit the two rails which conduct the feeble electric current for operating modern automatic train, control, for example, and particularly in wet weather this short-circuiting is a very serious matterl There are on the market machines for cleaning the ballast, or the space, between, thev tracks, by shoveling up the same, screening, andredistributing it. Clearly, no such machine can be used for cleaning the ballast in the cribs, that is, the spaces between railroad ties, and at present such cleaning is done by hand labor in the form of digging out the ballast, screening it with forks, and shoveling it back. This manual operation is high in cost, and very slow..

It is one object of our invention, therefore, to provide means for cleaning ballast, and the like material, in place between railroad ties, thereby preventing the above mentioned deleterious effects, at a relatively low cost andv in a comparatively short time,

Another object of our invention is to provide portable apparatus of the character in. question, comprising an operating member for insertion between the ties, and in which a partial vacuum is caused to suck the small-dimensioned material thereinto.

Another object of our invention is to provide an operating member to which is applied vibratory or hammer means for forcibly inserting it beneath the surface: of the ballast, after which the dirt or undesired portion of the ballast is conveyed away by means of a vacuum action.

A further object of our invention, is to provide a device of the character in question, with relatively small apertures whereby the ballast proper is not removed. but only the small-dimensioned foreignmatterrwhich can pass through such small apertures.

Another object of our invention to provide an apertured, hollow member for insertion in the ballast, together with a. hammer mechanism for shaking foreign matter loose from the ballast proper and a vacuum-creating apparatus for withdrawing such foreign matter.

Other objects of our invention will become evident from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction withv the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1. is a perspective view of one form. of our complete apparatus being utilized by workmen on a track;

Figure 2- and Figure 3 are views, respectively in front elevation and inside. elevation, and partially in section, of the present preferred form of our ballast-cleaning tool, or apparatus;

Figure 4 is a view partially insection and par tially in side elevation of a. modified form of the apparatus. shown in Figures- 2 and 3, Figure 5 being a sectional view taken along the line V-V of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of another modification of a portion of the tool. shown in Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 7 and Figure 8- are views, respectively in front elevation and partially in section, and in side elevation, of another modified form of. a portion of our ballast-cleaning tool, and

Figure 9 is a view partially in section and partially in front elevation, of still another modificaton thereof.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, we have here shown a pair of standard railroad tracks I and 2, comprising the usual pairs of steel rails 3, suitably mounted upon spaced ties 4, or the like, the cribs or. spaces 5- between each pair of ties being filled with any usual form of ballast or road material, such as crushed stone.

Two of our portable ballast-cleaning tools 6 are shown, the hollow apertured operating heads or spading members I being disposed to dig into the ballast between the ties and the operating handle members 8, at the upper ends of the tool, being suitably grasped by workmen 9 and. Ill.

For the purpose of supplying a vibratory or hammer motion tothe operating heads 1,there by forcibly inserting them into the ballast and shaking loose the foreign matter, we provide a suitable conveyor or generator of compressed air, for example, such asa pipe I l running along side one track, which. may be. connected to any suitable source of air pressure, such as a portable compressor or a compressor located in a building along the right of way. Furthermore, in place of the compressed-air-hammer mechanism, which we preferably employ in the tool 6, it will be understood that an electric hammer or vibratory device of any suitable type may also be used, in which case, in lieu of the compressed air supply pipe ii, an electrically energized cable or set of conductors would be employed.

The supply pipe H is provided at suitable intervals with valves or cocks l2 and E3, to which lengths of flexible armored rubber hose M and E5, or the like, are attached and lead over or underneath the rails 3 to valves l6 and H near the body members of the tools 6.

In order to remove the foreign matter or dirt from within the operating head I when it is in serted beneath the surface of the ballast, couplings l8 and I9 are provided upon the heads I,

from which relatively large diameter lengths of armored hose 2i) and 25, or the like, extend to a T-connection 22, leading into the central or intake portion of a centrifugal blower 23 or the like. This blower is provided with a nozzle or outlet 24 leading into a discharge pipe 25, whereby the foreign matter is withdrawn by vacuum from the operating heads 7 of the tools 6 and discharged across the track not being operated on,

or elsewhere, as desired, through the pipe 25.

The blower 23 may be driven by any suitable prime mover, such as an electric motor 26, or a gasoline engine, air turbine or the like. The blower 23 and the motor 28 are shown as suitably mounted upon a base 2'1, which in turn is disposed upon suitable runners or skids 28, and a draft handle 29 is attached to the skids, whereby the motor-operated blower may be manually drawn along between the tracks, as desired.

In order to permit the'discharge pipe, or conduit 25 to be moved out of the way of trains passing on the right-hand track, or in order to discharge the foreign matter in a direction to carry it away from the workmen, the pipe 25 is suitably hinged or pivotally mounted upon the nozzle 24, upon which is erected a suitable tripod 3|, terminating in an upper pin or ring 32, to which is secured a link or strut 33, the other end of which is attached to-a collar or clamp 34 on the pipe 25. In this way the pipe 25 may be swung around for the desired purpose at will. A suitable flexible tube (not shown) may be provided inside the hinged joint of the pipe 25 to insure carrying the dirt thereinto when so swung around.

It will be understood that in lieu of the handdrawn blower mechanism shown in Figure l, a hand-car or other vehicle may be mounted upon the rails of the track being cleaned and drawn along ahead of or behind the workmen by either manual or power means, as desired.

The tool 6 is illustrated in detail in Figures 2 and 3, and comprises, in addition to the hollow operating head I (which may be of welded or cast steel construction, for example) and the handle structure 8, an intermediate cylinder or barrel 39, for a purpose to be described.

A plurality of spikes or pointed members 40 are welded or otherwise secured to one side of the hollow operating head i, which is preferably triangular in cross-section, and which is provided with a narrow slot 55 extending the full length of the lower portion of the operating head on the side opposite that to which the spikes 40 are secured. A plurality of small holes or apertures 42 are also provided in the operating head in a row, located just above the slot M, which is also provided with strips or barriers 33, welded or otherwise secured across the face of the slot at intervals, such as intermediate each pair of apertures 42. In this way the crushed stone, com prising the ballast proper, cannot be drawn into the operating head 1, although it is drawn against the various apertures provided, by reason of the vacuum action in the operating head, and is shaken or jarred by reason of the hammer mechanism provided in cylinder 39, as hereafter described in detail, which not only loosens the foreign matter or dirt from the crushed stone, but also prevents the openings from clogging, as the entire operating head is continually agitated or jarred.

The coupling I8, for the exhaust hose 20, is suitably secured to a tubular projection 44 on the upper side of the operating head '2, whereby the foreign matter drawn through the various apertures thereof proceed into the exhaust pipe 28, whence they are withdrawn into the blower 23. and finally are discharged from the pipe 25.

On the upper central portion of the operating head I, a hollow boss 45, preferably integral in character, is provided, in which a stationary rod or tamper bar 46 is secured. The rod 46 extends upwardly into the cylinder or barrel 39, and the upper end thereof is adapted to be impinged upon by the plunger or hammer 47 of the illustrated pneumatic hammer mechanism. Side passages as and 49 communicate through valve IS with the compressed air pipe Id, thereby serving to impart the desired reciprocatory motion to the plunger or hammer 4T. Inasmuch as the particular hammer mechanism utilized and whether it is of the pneumatic or electric type are immaterial in the use of our invention, it is not deemed necessary to further describe the same.

Beneath the upper handle or grip member 8 (for one hand) a rod'or handle member 50 extends downwardly to the cylinder or barrel mem'- ber 39, to which it is integrally or otherwise secured. A second grip member is transversely attached to the rod 5!] to provide a convenient method of grasping the tool with the other hand in accordance with customary practice.

The operation of our ballast-oleaning tool will be evident from Fig. 1. The tool is grasped by the grip members 8 and 5|, as the workman desires, and the compressed air or electricity is turned on to produce a vibratory or hammer action within the tool. It is assumed that the motor-driven blower 23, or the like, has previously been set into operation. The operating head I of the tool 6, with its spikes 4|], sinks readily into the ballast material, by reason of the vibratory action of the hammer, although, of course, the

tool is guided by hand, and any additional pressure as desired by the workman may also be applied thereto. The material adjacent the apertures in the operating head is drawn against the same, and the foreign matter is jarred loose and is sucked by the vacuum into the operating head I and then transferred through the pipe 213 and the blower 23 to the discharge pipe 25. Furthermore, by reason of this vibratory action, the apertures do not become clogged, and, of course, only materials having a dimension less than that of the apertures in question are withdrawn from the ballast, the remaining material being thus shaken and sucked clean, and then left in its normal position.

Even in wet weather it has been found by actual test that the material in the cribs can be very quickly and inexpensively cleaned compared to the above-mentioned standard hand operation, and inasmuch as the material is cleaned in place,

rapid progress may be made from one crib to the next, leaving each finished cribfully cleaned and properly loosened.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5 the modified operating head and adjacent parts there shown comprise a hollow head proper 56, provided with a screw plug 5'! at one side for permitting access within, if desired, and a plurality of tubular members or hollow spikes 58, 59 and 69, which are screwed into the lower wall of the head 56, as indicated by the screw-threaded portions 6i, and each of which is provided with an enlarged and pointed head 62 for readily entering the ballast material. Each tube is provided with a suitable number of small apertures 63 for drawing in foreign matter, as previously described. A hollow boss 64' is provided on the upper wall of the head 58- to which a stationary hammerrod 65 is secured, the other end thereof extending into the hammer cylinder or barrel 6'6. A tubular projection H is provided for attachment to the exhaust hose 28.

It will be understood that the operation of the tool illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 is substantially identical with that shown in the previous figures.

Figure 6 shows anejector device for creating the necessary vacuum in the event that it is not desired to utilize a blower or the like for this purpose. The tube 61 is connected to the exhaust opening of the operating head, such as H in Figure 4;, and, as indicated by the arrows, the combined air and dirt are first forced into a Venturi passage 10, and then into the exhaust pipe proper 20'. The compressed air for producing'the ejector action is admitted through pipe M, for example, into curved passage 68, and then through the small diameter nozzle 69, located opposite the Venturi passage 10.

In this way, the desired vacuum or pneumatic withdrawal action upon the foreign matteris provided without the use of a blower. It will be understood that the previously illustrated hammer mechanism is to be employed in connection with the fragmentary apparatus shown in Figure 6 for the proper operation of our ballastcleaning tool.

Figures '7 and 3 illustrate an operating head 13, comprising, a plurality of hollow pointed prongs 74 which are provided with suitable small openings 15 for receiving the foreign matter when the prongs are dug into the ballast. A suitable cylinder or barrel 16, housing a plunger or hammer Tl. is provided for the purpose hereinbefore set forth. For suitably connecting the barrel '16 to the operating head 13. a plurality of bolts 18 are utilized, helical springs 19 being interposed along the bolts '18 for the purpose of providing a resilient reaction in the operation of the device. It will be noted that a rear tubular projection is provided for connection to the exhaust pipe 20..

Referring to Figure 9, we have herein shown an operating head 8| substantially triangular in cross-section and terminating in one or more renewable spikes or pointed rods 82, which may be screwed into or out of the lower end of the head 8|, as indicated by the screw-threaded portion 83. On each side of the operating head 81', near the lower extremity thereof, suitable small openings 84 are provided for receiving the foreign matter. A hammer cylinder 89 is provided for the purpose previously set forth.

The irregular line 85 represents the normal level of the ballast when the tool is inserted into the same, from which it will be noted that the openings 84 are located some distance below this surface line, while another or front opening 86'- (one, or-more): is normally'located above this line, that is, in the open air, and leads. into a passage 81 defined by one outer wall of the. head B l and a suitable partitionor inner wall 88, which terminates or has an open end just above the lower side openings 85.

A suitable rear tubular projection 90 is pro-.- vided for connection to the exhaust pipe 29..

During the operation of the device illustrated in Figure 9, it will be noted that, in addition to the vacuum or pneumatic withdrawal action of foreign matter and air through the pipe 20, a stream of air alone is continuously drawn through the opening 86 and the passage 87, which air stream reverses itself around the end of the partitionor wall 88" and serves to lend its force to the exhaust stream leading into the discharge pipe 20a In this way, in addition to the regular vacuum or suction action, a form of ejector or additional pneumatic action is provided by the passage 8-1, which serves to increase the efiiciency of operation of the apparatus.

It' will be seen that we have thus provided a portable tool for quickly and satisfactorily cleaning all ballast or the like in place in the cribs, and one which is relatively inexpensive in operation both because of the simple and cheap apparatus required, and because it is unnecessary to dig out the ballast and replace it again.

In cases where the ballast is usually hard and compacted because, fo-r'example, of not being disturbed for a long time, it may be advisable, from the stand-point of saving time, to first loosen up the ballast by tamping devices equipped with digging tools, and then follow with our abovedescribed cleaning apparatus. Ordinarily, however, ourcleaning apparatus will produce satisfactoryresults without the aid of any such diggi-ng tools.

While we have shown certain modifications of our ballast-cleaning apparatus, it should be understood that various other modifications. or changes maybe made therein without departing fromthe spirit and scope of our invention. We

desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon as are indicated in the appended, claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. Apparatus for cleaning ballast and the like material in place comprising a hollow apertured head provided with dependingspike members and. a transverse slot, barrier members secured at intervals across said slot, and an exhaust conduit secured to an upper portion of said head.

2. Apparatus for cleaning ballast and the like material in place comprising an operating head provided with depending apertured tubular prongs, and anexhaust pipe attached to an upper portion of said head.

3'. Apparatus for cleaning ballast and the like material in place comprising an operating head provided with a depending removable spike, and

having dirt-receiving openings adapted to be located beneath the surface of said material and another opening adapted to be located above said surface and leading into a passage having an open, end near said dirt-receiving openings, and an exhaust conduit secured to an upper portion of said head and adapted to suck dirt and air from said dirt-receiving openings and to suck air only from said other opening through said passage and past said dirt-receiving openings.

4. A ballast cleaning device comprising a portable laterally elongated ballast agitating portion,

said portion being provided with an aperture extending laterally through the wall of said portion, a suction tube connected to said portion and. in communication with said aperture, and a power driven hammer operably connected to said portion.

5. A ballast cleaning device comprising a portable laterally elongated ballast agitating portion,.

the free end of said portion terminating in a cutting tip, said portion being provided with apertures extending laterally through the wall thereof, a suction tube connected to said portion and in communication with said apertures, and a power driven hammer operably connected to said portion.

6. A device for separating materials of different sizes comprising a portable, hollow, laterally elongated material contacting head, said head being provided with a plurality of apertures extending laterally through the wall thereof, a suction tube connected to said portion and in communication with said apertures, and a power driven hammer operably connected to said portion,

7. A portable ballast cleaning device comprising a. hollow ballast agitating portion, said portion terminating in a pointed burrowing tip adapted to be readily partially buried in such ballast, and being provided with a plurality of apertures extending laterally through the wall of said portion and displaced from said tip, a suction tube connected to said portion and in communication with said apertures, and a power driven hammer operably connected to said portion.

8. Portable apparatus for cleaning ballast while it remains in normal location between railroad ties comprising a hollow member having a hole in a side thereof for insertion in the ballast between the ties, hammer means for acting on said member to agitate the ballast, and means for causing a partial vacuum in said member, said 'member being sufficiently long and. pointed to readily burrow into such ballast.

9. Apparatus for cleaning ballast and the like material in place comprising a hollow spading member sufficiently long and pointed to readily burrow into suchballast and laterally apertured for receiving portions of said material when inserted therein, and means for pneumatically removing said portions.

10. Apparatus for cleaning ballast and the like material in place comprising a laterally elongated hollow spading member having a plurality of apertures in the sides thereof, means operating on said spading member for jarring the largerdimensioned portions of the material free of surrounding foreign matter, and suction means for removing said foreign matter through the apertures in said spading member.

11. Apparatus for cleaning ballast and the like material in place comprising a hollow spading member provided with an aperture extending laterally through the wall thereof for receiving portions of said material when inserted therein, a hammer mechanism operatively associated with said spading member, means for supplying compressed air to said mechanism, a vacuum-creating device, and means for connecting said device to empty said spading member.

12. Apparatus for cleaning ballast and the like material in place comprising a portable apertured suction head, a vacuum device for sucking portions of said material through the apertures in said head, and a discharge conduit for said material hinged upon said device to permit changing the direction of discharge into the atmosphere.

13. An apparatus for sifting or screening dirty ballast in place comprising a long pointed head adapted to be readily partially buried in such ballast and having a relatively large number of lateral apertures, said head acting first as an entering wedge, and means operably associated with said head to jar the same and effect a sifting or screening of the dirt from said ballast through said apertures into said head.

14. An apparatus for sifting or screening dirty ballast in place comprising a head sufiiciently long and pointed to readily burrow under the surface of such ballast and having a relatively large number of lateral apertures, said head acting first as an entering wedge and then to sift said ballast by separating the particles smaller than said apertures from the particles larger than said apertures, and means for removing such smaller particles by air from withinv said head.

15. An apparatus for sifting or screening dirty ballast in place comprising a long pointed hollow head adapted to be readily inserted beneath the surface of such ballast and'having a relatively large number of lateral apertures, said head acting first as an entering wedge, means for attaching said head to a rapidly vibrated air-driven tool to effect the separation of the smaller particles from the larger particles by the vibration of said apertured head, and suction means applied to said hollow head to remove said smaller particles thus sifted out of said. dirty ballast.

16. A tool having a hollow head sufficiently long and pointed for easily entering and sifting dirty ballast and the like in place, said head having a relatively large number of holes in its side walls of diameters less than those of the pieces of cleaned ballast, a rapidly vibrating air-driven tool applied to said head to cause the same to enter said dirty ballast and sift or screen the small particles of dirt through said holes while leaving the larger particles of ballast in place, and vacuum-producing means attached to a portion of said head remote from the point thereof to remove the sifted out particles from said head.

1'7. A ballast cleaning device comprising a hollow member adapted to be readily forced into ballast in position on the roadbed, the opposite walls of said member forming an angle of about 45 degrees or less and being provided with a plurality of transverse openings therethrough.

18. A burrowing member for a ballast cleaning device, said member being hollow and having its opposite walls disposed at an angle with each other of about 45 degrees or less and being provided with a plurality of transverse openings therethrough.

19. A ballast cleaning device comprising a hollow member adapted to be readily forced into ballast in position on the roadbed, the opposite walls of said member forming an angle of about 45 degrees or less and being provided with a plurality of transverse openings therethrough, and means for causing said member to vibrate.

20. A ballast cleaning device comprising a hollow member adapted to be readily forced into ballast in position on the roadbed, the opposite walls of said member forming an angle of about 45 degrees or less and being provided with a plurality of transverse openings therethrough, and means for sucking material through said openings.

21. A ballast cleaning device comprising a hollow member adapted to be readily forced into ballast in position on the roadbed, the opposite walls of said member forming an angle of about 45 degrees or less and being provided with a plurality of transverse openings therethrough, a power driven hammer operably associated with said member to jar the same, and vacuum-producing means for efiecting an influx of foreign material ofi said ballast proper through said openings.

22. A ballast cleaning device comprising a hollow member adapted to be readily forced into ballast in position on the road bed, the opposite walls of said member forming an angle of about 45 degrees or less and being provided with a plurality of transverse openings therethrough spaced at varying distances from the tipof said member.

23. A ballast cleaning device comprising a hollow member adapted to be readily forced into ballast in position on the roadbed, the opposite walls of said member forming an angle of about 45 degrees or less and being provided with a plurality of transverse openings therethrough,

said member being laterally elongated.

24. A method of cleaning ballast between the ties of a railway track, which includes the steps of agitating the ballast stones without removing the same and removing the fines associated therewith by suction without disturbing the ballast beneath the ties themselves.

25. A method of cleaning ballast between railway ties including subjecting the ballast to combined agitation and suction in a limited space only between the ties without removing the ballast.

26. A method of cleaning ballast in railway road beds including the steps of agitating the ballast substantially in its initial position and removing fines therefrom by applying suction thereto during the agitation.

WALTER S. RUGG. ALEXANDER PALMROS. 

